


The Quiet Warmth

by Lv1Zaku



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Healing, Romance, post-kh3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 23:05:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17671844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lv1Zaku/pseuds/Lv1Zaku
Summary: After everything is over, Terra and Aqua share a moment alone.





	The Quiet Warmth

               Aqua thought that even after years passed, the feeling of Terra's hand in hers would always feel like the first time, always send the same flood of electricity sparking through her veins. She was sure now that they had held hands dozens, maybe hundreds of times, but she could never quite believe it was true. There was too much that still roared inside her head and her heart, but the feeling of his fingers against hers always brought her back, rooting her there in the present and gently pushing away the anxiety, the fear. The way he laced his fingers with hers, the way he always let his hand brush softly against hers before he took it—the way she felt then was perhaps the realest thing she would ever feel, and it touched her deeper than she knew, pushing far inside her heart, to the very core.

               His eyes were on her now, head tilted the slightest bit in curiosity. "What's wrong?" "Terra..." She was overcome suddenly, looking up into his face. "Can we be alone?" Something changed in his gaze, a softness shining through, and he nodded, head quickly turning this way and that to look around—but already they were alone, the hall deserted. Aqua wondered if Ventus sensed that something had changed between them, knowing when to excuse himself, but she had never asked, and, as she thought briefly about it, hoped she never needed to.

               Down at the end of the hall sat a room filled with boxes and books, training swords tucked away in a corner, maps and scrolls rolled up in the shelves; sunlight came filtering in through the fluttering curtains, and the door shut behind them as Terra slowly lowered himself onto a trunk pushed up against the wall, letting Aqua sit herself in his lap, legs folded around him. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer, cradling her against him, and for a long, long moment all they did was look, eyes moving over the curves of their cheekbones, the slopes of their noses, the shine of their lips. The sapphire blue of Terra's eyes was blinding, and the warmth of Aqua's body was intoxicating him, the world around them fading as they drank one another in.

               Aqua moved first, reaching up to lock her fingers behind Terra's head, her lips on his face; he held her even closer, dormant, but she could hear his breath growing unsteadier as she kissed him, his skin warm beneath her. He always sat so still during times like these, though she knew what he must be thinking, how he must feel—she thought that it was his way of reminding himself that she was real, and that the illusions that had taken hold of him had melted away into only her. She was his reality now, the only one he wanted, and he felt it all, leaning his head back against the wall to let her lean up over him. She was scared, sometimes, that it was too much, that he would push her away, but he never did, just holding her like this as they hid away in patches of light, sleepy evening sun painting the walls orange.

               As Aqua planted soft little kisses down over Terra's forehead, moving downward still, she felt him wrinkle his nose and paused, pulling away just enough to meet his embarrassed gaze, bashful half-smile on his face. "S-Sorry. It...kinda tickles." She felt herself blush in surprised pleasure, but she couldn't help smiling back, warmth blossoming into life in her chest. "Should I stop?" "No." He shook his head, his gaze positively radiant now, cheeks a pale rose. "Please."

               _Terra._ She felt his arms unwind from around her, hands strong and warm on her hips, and she took his face in both hands, nuzzling her nose against his. His smile was bright, eyes brighter, as she looked at him next, and she felt her heart ache. There were days when she woke in fear, terrified that she wouldn't find him next to her, that the sheets beside her would lay cold and empty—but there he always lay, arms around her, face pressed into his pillow or her hair, holding her protectively close. She had had too many nightmares about him, but as the days passed they had begun to disappear, replaced instead with warm, golden dreams of sitting here in his arms, of lying in his lap in the grass and watching the stars. Now, their everyday moments and the dreams were almost indistinguishable from one another, and she thought that soon she might not dream at all, reality far greater than any dream could ever be.

               "Terra." "Hm?" She touched her head to his, steady blue gaze back on hers. "I want to kiss you." The words came out by themselves, but he seemed almost to have anticipated them, wordlessly slipping his hands into her hair as she threw her arms around his neck, lips meeting his in the stillness. Kissing him felt like the first time too, but even then it hadn't felt awkward the way she thought it would have. It was more like they had known from the start it would end up this way, simple touches and fleeting kisses a long time coming, and Aqua embraced it all, losing herself in the feelings. There were times when Terra kissed her as though he was afraid of breaking her, lips delicate and tender against hers, touches light, but his grip unbreakable, refusing to let go. The way he clung to her told her that he wanted to be close to her always, and there was nothing more she wanted than to do the same.

               When she broke away from him Aqua buried her face in Terra's neck, his skin burning hot now, and his fingers trailed down her back as she nuzzled into him, her hands moving steadily over his shoulders, down his chest. She found herself always touching him somehow, her fingers light on his arm, holding on to the hem of his shirt, another way to remind herself that he was real. When they lay beside one another he did it too, brushing his fingers through her hair, tracing patterns absentmindedly over her skin, and she almost wanted to hide how pleased she was, but at the same time she knew he worried, needing something to keep him there. An anchor. And that was what she was, and would be, as long as it took—even forever.

               "Aqua." It was a drowsy murmur into her hair. "Let me do something too." "What do you want to do?" she asked, looking back up, and he let his fingers drift over her cheek, pushing her hair away from her eyes. "This." He leaned in, and she closed her eyes, waiting, but the next instant she felt his lips soft on her forehead, pressing a kiss right above her brows. It was such a deep, unexpected gesture that for a moment Aqua didn't know how to respond, flustered; she watched as Terra moved down to reach her face, kisses on her cheek, the line of her jaw. He was always slow at first, and a little hesitant, but she could forgive him, sinking into his arms as he moved down to her neck the way she had, sighing into her skin and making her heart flutter.

               "You're so soft." He said it more to himself than to her, but she couldn't hold back the smile, though to say she wasn't flattered somehow would have been a lie. "Yeah?" "Yeah." He sounded so sincere. "Soft, and warm, and...it feels nice." He wrapped her into his arms again, and this time she lay against him, face in his chest, the weight of his head on hers. She could feel his heart beating and gently brought a hand up to rest over it, pulse steady under her fingers. _Terra's heart._ A great calm was sweeping over her, erasing the thoughts swirling in her mind, even as his voice spoke on, a whisper only for her. "I want to stay like this, Aqua. I want to be with you."

               "I love you." She whispered it into his shirt, knowing he could hear, and he nuzzled into her hair, a sigh rushing past her ear. "I love you too." It almost hurt to hear, her chest tight and glowing warm, and she thought she never wanted to get up, content to lie here against him in this room forever. They had had their share of private moments in the weeks past, but Aqua thought that out of all of them, this moment felt much deeper, filled with a beaming bright light that touched everything around them, though the curtains were drawn, veiling them in soft shadows. For as long as they stayed there, they were the only two that existed, even if only for the few precious minutes they spent together.

               "Did you know that I dream about you?" came Terra's voice suddenly, and Aqua felt her heart turn over in surprise. "You do?" "Mm. I don't remember a lot. But...I remember some parts really well. They're all kind of like this, I guess. You and me somewhere, sitting and talking, or reading. Me holding you, or next to you...and everything's so bright. It's so different from before." He planted a kiss into her hair. "I used to dream about things I didn't really understand. It was dark, and cold, and I heard voices. I was afraid of what they said, but...now I only hear your voice." His words found their way straight to the center of her heart, warm tendrils of emotion winding themselves around her. "Is it really okay, Aqua? Can we really be here like this?"

               "We can." The conviction in her own voice surprised her. "We will. Everything is okay...and it always will be." Aqua raised her head, meeting Terra's gaze once more as she looked up at him, eyes captivating. "Whenever you're scared, or sad, or confused...I'll fight everything away. I'll protect you." "I want to protect you, too." He sounded just as sure, fingers tracing the shape of her face. "I'll never let anything bad happen to you."

               "Promise me, Terra." Her hands clasped around one of his, and he spread out his fingers, letting hers fit between them. "Wherever you go, take me with you. And wherever I go, you'll come too." "Okay." "And whatever you do, you'll tell me." "I promise." He was already coming closer, his eyes closing, and she knew what was coming, leaning up to meet him. This time when their lips met she let herself go, kissing him and kissing him until her head was full of only him, his breath in her ears, the heat from his skin drifting over hers. Somehow she couldn't get enough of touching him suddenly, his hair so soft under her fingers, and he let her, shoulders rising and falling with his breath as he recovered, face hidden in her hair once more. He was heavy, but the feeling of his body so close to hers was comforting, a weight that told her he was hers, and hers alone.

               "You think we should get back?" Once they had wound down and she sat with her back to him, his head on her shoulder, she made herself say it, though it was the last thing on her mind. "Maybe...just a little bit longer," came the reply, his voice almost dazed. "I want to hold you a little more." His arms were tight around her waist, and she indulged him, lying back against him and watching the curtains wave, spots of sunlight on the floor and the walls. She wondered sometimes if the events of the last ten years had been nothing more than a fantastical dream—but the moment the thought came into her head she knew it was impossible, the fear of losing him too painfully real to ever have been false.

               It was some time later when at last they pushed the door to the hall open again, emerging back out into reality, but the knowing glances they traded were enough to last her until the next time she knew they would escape, returning once more to a world for only them. She had no way to know when that time would be, but she thought not knowing was okay—as long as he stood beside her, holding her hand the way he was now, there was no more she could want. There would always be a quiet place for them as long as they needed it, and it existed now in every little touch, every time their eyes met. She was his home now, and he hers—and that was the only truth she needed now, and, she thought, maybe forever.


End file.
